‘It’s Going to Be a Life-Giving Movement,’ says Solder
COLORADO SPRINGS, COLO.— Teaming up with Compassion International’s Fill The Stadium is Nate Solder, New York Giants offensive tackle. Solder joins fellow professional athletes and national leaders to help children living in extreme poverty around the globe.
“My family is teaming up with Compassion International to give help during the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Solder. “We’re so thankful to say that many of our friends from the NFL, MLB, PGA TOUR and US Soccer National Team are involved in the Fill The Stadium project.”
Fill The Stadium has a clear goal over the next 12 months: to provide aid to 70,000 children in Compassion International’s programs who missed out on relief this year due to gaps of support created by the COVID-19 crisis. The target of 70,000 is the average capacity of pro-football stadiums in America. Fill The Stadium leaders hope that fans who normally would have spent money on professional sports games this year—but couldn’t—choose instead to support underprivileged kids and their families.
“The empty stadiums are a stark reminder of the situation we are facing,” continued Solder. “You don’t want to miss being part of Fill The Stadium. It’s going to be a life-giving moment.”
Fill The Stadium team leaders—Santiago “Jimmy” Mellado, CEO and president of Compassion International, and Steve Stenstrom, president of Pro Athletes Outreach—have already received a strong assist from 37 pro athletes, business leaders, and churches.
The Fill The Stadium team notes that $500—approximately the same amount most Americans would spend for four tickets to attend a pro-football game—will help provide 12 months of food, nutritional supplements, hygiene essentials, and COVID-19 medical screenings for children and families in crisis. So far, the group has “filled” over 16,000 seats with support—well on their way to the goal of helping 70,000 children.
Joining Solder, Mellado and Stenstrom in the Fill The Stadium effort are such standout professional athletes as Dakota Dozier of the Minnesota Vikings; Alyssa Naeher of the U.S. Women’s National Soccer Team; Nick Foles, MVP QB, Brock Huard, former pro football QB, Devin and Jason McCourty of New England, Nick Ahmed of the Arizona Diamondbacks, Jaccob Slavin of the Carolina Hurricanes and many others. These elite athletes understand that their leadership and participation can help bring much-needed attention to this worthy cause.
In this year of coronavirus, “We are all experiencing the reality of empty stadiums,” says the Fill The Stadium team. It’s why this effort so desperately needs a caring, prayerful and thoughtful community to join together in this needed relief.
To learn more, visit the Fill The Stadium website, and Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.